Athletes generally desire their shoes to conform to their feet in a comfortable manner when participating in sports. Shoes, such as sporting cleats used for football, soccer, or baseball, are typically formed from leather and/or synthetic materials that are initially stiff and require a break-in period to soften the materials and provide a comfortable fit around the wearer's feet. An athlete generally experiences discomfort, and sometimes pain, that reduces the athlete's performance while breaking in a new pair of shoes. Additionally, some shoes never fully conform in a manner that provides a snug fit around the wearer's feet, leaving athletes with only the option to wear a smaller than recommended shoe size to achieve the snug fit. While some athletes may achieve an increase in performance while wearing smaller than recommended shoe sizes, these athletes must accept some level of discomfort and/or pain which can eventually lead to foot injuries or injuries to other body parts.
In an attempt to reduce the break-in period and/or achieve a customized fit within a new set of shoes, some athletes soak their shoes in warm water to soften the leather and/or synthetic materials that form the shoes. Upon soaking, the athletes will wear the wet shoes so that the shoes conform around the contours of the feet as the shoes dry. This requires the wearer to participate in athletic movements with wet shoes, thereby resulting in slippage and shifting of the feet relative to the shoes, thereby increasing the risk of injury. In addition to decreased stability and support, this slipping and shifting of the feet can lead to blisters and/or abrasions upon the wearer's feet, as well as increased wear upon insoles of the shoes. Moreover, as the leather and/or synthetic materials dry after being soaked in warm water, the shoes may become even more stiff and require an even longer break-in period to achieve a comfortable fit.